Israel washed its hands clean on Thursday of OC Central Command Maj.-Gen. Yair Naveh's warning a day earlier that King Abdullah risked being toppled by an "Islamist axis" and could be the last king of Jordan.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Dan Halutz reprimanded Naveh during a meeting of the General Staff at the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv Thursday and called on all military officers, especially those in senior positions, to demonstrate caution and sensitivity when speaking in public. Halutz was also referring to his deputy Maj.-Gen. Moshe Kaplinsky, who said on Wednesday that Israel had discerned the first signs of instability within Hosni Mubarak's powerful regime in Egypt.

"A careless remark could be misinterpreted and taken out of its context," Halutz warned his senior staff. "It could turn into something that could drag the IDF into an unnecessary public debate and misrepresent policies and positions of Israel and the IDF."

Speaking Wednesday at a closed-door briefing with diplomats and foreign journalists at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, Naveh warned of the Hamas's rise to power and the possibility that an "axis of evil" beginning in Iran could negatively affect the Jordanian regime.

"Hamas is gathering strength and a dangerous axis starting in Iran and continuing through Iraq and Jordan is in the process of formation," Naveh said. "I don't want to be a prophet but I am not sure there will be another king after King Abdullah."

Jordanian diplomats who were present at the meeting reacted strongly and Wednesday night threatened to cut back ties with Israel if Naveh was not disciplined. On Thursday, however, the Jordanian charge d'affairs in Israel, Omar Nazif, backed down from threats he issued a day earlier and told The Jerusalem Post he believed the Hashemite kingdom had accepted the various Israeli clarifications.

King Abdullah, Jordanian security officials said Thursday, was "furious" over Naveh's remarks. "His Majesty is very angry," the officials told the Post. "He believes that Naveh's remarks reflect official government thinking in Israel."

The officials pointed out that Jordan and Israel have had "excellent" security relations over the past years and that the two sides have been cooperating in the war against terror.

"It's not clear to us why Naveh made these remarks, especially when you take into consideration the excellent relations we have in all fields," the officials said. "These remarks could create a lot of problems for Jordan."

Acting Prime Minster Ehud Olmert spoke briefly Thursday with King Abdullah and, according to sources in the Prime Minister's Office, clarified that Naveh's comments did not reflect Israeli policy.

The sources said the conversation was "pleasant," and that the two men agreed to meet after the Israeli elections. The sources said the conversation was arranged by Israeli and Jordanian defense officials who are in close contact.

Jordan's news agency Petra had a different spin on the telephone call , saying that Olmert apologized and "expressed condemnation" over Naveh's statements.

The Petra report said Olmert "expressed appreciation over the efforts exerted by His Majesty King Abdullah to restore peace and stability to the region."

Israeli security officials also dismissed on Thursday Naveh's remarks as an "unfortunate mistake." Israel, they said, had an "excellent" relationship with Jordan, especially when it came to security coordination. Both countries, officials explained, were facing similar threats from the growing presence of global Jihad and al-Qaida in Jordan and the radical group's attempts to gain influence among local Palestinian terror organizations in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

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An Israeli general has apologised to Jordanian King Abdullah for saying he might be the last of the Hashemite dynasty to rule Jordan.
Jordan insisted Maj Gen Yair Naveh be reprimanded after he said the king risked being toppled by an "Islamist axis" stretching from Iran to Gaza. The Israeli government has distanced itself from Gen Naveh's comments. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4743244.stm
I can think of other countries that need to worry about that more, Saudi Arabia being the first.

I think one should see things very superficially to stick to the thesis of extremist islamists as the main reason which could precipitate the end of the reign of KA.

I doubt very strong that a kingdom like KSA would worry about that,because simply the difference between the Jordanian and the Saudi monarchy is the the amount of support that they have each.

Jordan was always just a buffer zone in order to make work easy around for some geostrategic and geopolitic purposes,when those purposes will be reached,so one could imagine what can happen...

I think one should see things very superficially to stick to the thesis of extremist islamists as the main reason which could precipitate the end of the reign of KA.

I doubt very strong that a kingdom like KSA would worry about that,because simply the difference between the Jordanian and the Saudi monarchy is the the amount of support that they have each.

Jordan was always just a buffer zone in order to make work easy around for some geostrategic and geopolitic purposes,when those purposes will be reached,so one could imagine what can happen...

there is a book, sort of like nostradamus but to with islam. it stated that abdulla would be the last king - not specifiying which abdulla. the orthdox jews base alot of their beliefs on the coming of the torah, it could have been predicted in a certain to them, the way it was predicted to the muslims.

there is a book, sort of like nostradamus but to with islam. it stated that abdulla would be the last king - not specifiying which abdulla. the orthdox jews base alot of their beliefs on the coming of the torah, it could have been predicted in a certain to them, the way it was predicted to the muslims.

Well, as people grow ever more educated and sophisticated I do think these old style paternalistic monarchies will become more and more of a dinosaur.

Also, it wouldn't surprise me as wasn't there mention in Queen Noor's book 'Leap of Faith' that said at one point even King Hussein thought he would live out his days in exile in the UK.

Everything to it's own time inshaallah.

If even The King thought such as thing,this simply shows that the jordanian monarchy was never a strong one,and it's not the extemists who will precipitate it end,as the islamist movement is new in the scene.

I'll have to reread it as I must have missed that part. Interesting if the King thought he might have ended his days in exile.

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Originally Posted by Monalisa

If even The King thought such as thing,this simply shows that the jordanian monarchy was never a strong one,and it's not the extemists who will precipitate it end,as the islamist movement is new in the scene.

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You can't comfort the afflicted with afflicting the comfortable. Princess Diana

well, i think the islamic movement does poes a threat to the monarchy as do any secular movements on the scene. there was an article on the bbc that said that bashar assad of syria had sent all these people to iraq to fight and what not and he did this to remove them from syria. but, ironically, these people have started to come back and now they are using the tactics they have learned in iraq to try to overthrow the regime.

i think the same thing could happen in jordan...the islamic movement is very strong and the monarchy attempts to contain it by having state imams and issuing things like the "amman message" and trying to appear religious (i don't know, they could very well be religious). however, the islamic movement does not really buy this.

well, i think the islamic movement does poes a threat to the monarchy as do any secular movements on the scene. there was an article on the bbc that said that bashar assad of syria had sent all these people to iraq to fight and what not and he did this to remove them from syria. but, ironically, these people have started to come back and now they are using the tactics they have learned in iraq to try to overthrow the regime.

i think the same thing could happen in jordan...the islamic movement is very strong and the monarchy attempts to contain it by having state imams and issuing things like the "amman message" and trying to appear religious (i don't know, they could very well be religious). however, the islamic movement does not really buy this.

plus, when you couple this with secular resentment - well....

It's sure that the islamist movement involvement could be one of the reasons which would precipitate the end of the hashemite monarchy,but what I want to say,it's absolutly not the main reason,and KA as a ruler would have and have his part of responsablity in that.

As I said before,the Jordanian monarchy was never strong,but there was time where dissatisfaction and unhappyness was much more less than what how it's now,for many reasons... related basically to the ruler and his relation with the jordanians and kind of wisdom and diplomacy used by king Hussein and also his former crown prince Hassan,in some issues things which lack actually with KA&QR...

oh yeah, i agree monalisa. its the islamic movement, plus secularists. and a good part of it is because of Abdullah himself.

also, i don't think we all can compare jordan to saudi. the islamic movement poses a threat to both of these countries but not anywhere near the same level. the saudis have oil, and for the forseeable future, the americans and europeans will do anything to keep that oil. the jordanians have no resources. the only reason why the u.s. supports it is because the alternative (islamics or nationalists) would be much worse for them.

I wouldn't over-emphasize the oil issue. Its not going to last forever and the west, especially the Americans, are quite wary of supporting corrupt oil-rich sheikhs just for the oil. There is a bigger effort to turn towards alternative sources of energy.
Not to mention the fact that the biggest supplier of oil to the US is Canada! followed by Mexico.

though the oil may not last forever, for the forseeable future the u.s. needs it. even after oil is not needed, the saudis are very rich so they are very diff from the jordanians. the saudis, therefore, right now have strong support from the west and in the future at least will have wealth. these are buffers that jordan does not have.

Jordan may not have the buffers, but I doubt Jordanians feel that their country is dispensible. You dont see many Jordanians on this board making such statements. Just because they're not wealthy doesnt mean they dont have pride their nation. Lots of countries have been in worse shape and pulled through. So have Jordanian monarchs like King Hussein.
And like i said, oil isn't much of a buffer for the SA or the other oil-rich arab states because even these countries are realizing that its not going to last nearly as long, hence the efforts to modernize and develop in places like the Gulf.
The importance of oil from these nations is exaggerated. The US is increasingly leaning towards looking to other sources, and countries. US politicians already have their eyes on the vast oil fields in Alberta, Canada.

It's sure that the islamist movement involvement could be one of the reasons which would precipitate the end of the hashemite monarchy,but what I want to say,it's absolutly not the main reason,and KA as a ruler would have and have his part of responsablity in that.

As I said before,the Jordanian monarchy was never strong,but there was time where dissatisfaction and unhappyness was much more less than what how it's now,for many reasons... related basically to the ruler and his relation with the jordanians and kind of wisdom and diplomacy used by king Hussein and also his former crown prince Hassan,in some issues things which lack actually with KA&QR...

I would agree with this, he lacks the charisma, political savvy and diplomacy skills of his late father and of his Uncle Hassan - to whom a great deal is owed.

Jordan may not have the buffers, but I doubt Jordanians feel that their country is dispensible. You dont see many Jordanians on this board making such statements. Just because they're not wealthy doesnt mean they dont have pride their nation. Lots of countries have been in worse shape and pulled through. So have Jordanian monarchs like King Hussein.
And like i said, oil isn't much of a buffer for the SA or the other oil-rich arab states because even these countries are realizing that its not going to last nearly as long, hence the efforts to modernize and develop in places like the Gulf.
The importance of oil from these nations is exaggerated. The US is increasingly leaning towards looking to other sources, and countries. US politicians already have their eyes on the vast oil fields in Alberta, Canada.

King Hussein did pull through, you are right Humera but the world was a different place back then. People weren't so politicized, no internet etc to disseminate a lot of info and let's face it Sidi was respected, which many people do not feel the same towards his son.

Queen of Jordan Rania Al Abdullah (L) and represantatives of TEGEV (Turkish Education Volunteers Foundation) walk in the TEGEV Educational park 24 February 2006 in Findikzade-Fatih, downtown Istanbul. Queen Rania visited the TEGEV Educational park and attended ACEV (Mother and Child Education Foundation) conference on the second day of her visit in Turkey